Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (peace be on him) said: The most beloved people to Allah are those who are most beneficial to people. (Tabarani) Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: ‘Indeed Allah will question every leader about…
Be One Ummah in the Face of Adversity A Muslim is a Muslim’s brother. He does not wrong him, or let him down, or hand him over to his enemies, or despise him. (Muslim) Stick to principles Going back to basics, sticking to our principles makes our ummah a special ummah. Unfortunately, with all…
Don’t side with liars In an authentic hadith, Khabbab bin Al-Aratt reported: I was sitting next to the door of the Prophet (peace be on him) and when he came out he said ‘Listen to me’ and we replied, ‘We are listening, ya Rasul Allah’ and he said ‘There will be, after me, leaders who…
…even when it does not appeal to us When what is good for us is bitter Allah the Almighty created us, and He wrote our destiny before He created us in a book which will never change. Yet He gave us choices. Without doubt, after He sent the messengers and the prophets to clarify the…
The Prophet (peace be on him) said: ‘He will not be admitted to Jannah, the one who has in his heart an atom’s weight of pride.’ A man asked the Prophet (peace be on him): ‘We like to have beautiful dresses and shoes. Is it out of pride? Will this be classified under kibr?’…
Women’s Right to Fair Treatment Women’s Day is a reminder that we still have not secured freedom from oppression for women. Isn’t it time that we deliver women the rights that Islam gave them 1400 years ago? O mankind we have created you from a male and female and we have made you into tribes…
Cornering the Cat – Why Allah Forbid Oppression Oh my servants, I have made oppression forbidden on myself and made it forbidden amongst you so do not oppress one another. (Bukhari) This is one of the fundamental rules and pillars in Islam – the prohibition of oppression (dhulm). There are different types of dhulm. The…
The Limitations of Scholars When Rebellion is Permitted The Arab spring raised many questions about the legitimacy of tackling unjust dictatorships and oppressive regimes. Is it permissible for the public to rebel when their rulers are failing them? There have been scholars throughout history who have legitimised and rubber stamped the wrong doings of rulers,…
To Obey or Not to Obey? Oh you who believe, obey Allah and obey the Messenger and those of you who in authority. (And) if you differ in anything amongst yourselves, refer it to Allah and His Messenger, if you believe in Allah and in the Last Day. That is better and more suitable for…
Lessons from Ibrahim (peace be on him) And [remember] when We made the House a place of return for the people and [a place of] security. And take, [O believers], from the standing place of Abraham a place of prayer. And We charged Abraham and Ishmael, [saying], ‘Purify My House for those who perform Tawaf…
Islamic Principle of Equality not Favouritism Say, [O Muhammad], ‘If you love Allah, then follow me [Muhammad], then Allah will love you and forgive your sins. And Allah is All Forgiving and All Merciful.’ (3:31) Turning a blind eye to the crimes of people in the community due to their connections or status is easily…
Hijra: How Migrants Escaping Oppression Can Be a Source of Goodness As every New Hijri Year begins, we reflect on the Prophet’s (peace be on him) migration from Makkah to Madinah. What the reason for it? Persecution. Injustice. Disregard for human rights. Freedom of Expression The Prophet (peace be on him) was asking for…
The Importance of Justice in Islam Indeed, Allah orders justice and good conduct and giving to relatives and forbids immorality and bad conduct and oppression. He admonishes you that perhaps you will be reminded. (16:90) This comprehensive ayah recited at the end of every Friday Khutbah contains the foremost principle of justice in Islam….
Spreading LOVE when there is HATE. What can we do when we feel helpless watching disasters unfold all over the world? What should our response be? Can we afford to sit back and watch or is there anything we can do? ‘O you who believe, be patient and compete in patience, and protect your frontiers,…
Leadership and Justice When his Lord tested Ibrahim’s faith, (by His words) and he satisfied the test, He said, “I am appointing you as the leader of mankind.” Abraham asked, “Will this leadership also continue through my descendants?” The Lord replied, “The unjust do not have the right to exercise My authority.” (2:124)…